I do not know whether bees actually feel anger, though in
human culture it is easy to label their frenetic buzz as a sign of anger.
Indeed, “angry buzzing” is something of a literary cliché. What I do know is
that this episode resonates with my understanding of Pirkei Avot.
While our sages, the foremost of whom is Rambam, are
unanimous in condemning anger, and we learn that it is even a form of avodah
zarah (Shabbat 105b), the Tannaic authors of the mishnayot in Avot accept both
that anger exists and that we feel it. This is why Rabbi Eliezer does not
demand us never to be angry but instead urges us (at 2:15) אַל תְּהִי
נֽוֹחַ לִכְעוֹס (“Don’t be easy to anger”).
Going well beyond that, the anonymous author of Avot 5:17 teaches:
אַרְבַּע
מִדּוֹת בְּדֵעוֹת: נֽוֹחַ לִכְעוֹס וְנֽוֹחַ לֵרָצוֹת, יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ
בִּשְׂכָרוֹ. קָשֶׁה לִכְעוֹס וְקָשֶׁה לֵרָצוֹת, יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְּהֶפְסֵדוֹ.
קָשֶׁה לִכְעוֹס וְנֽוֹחַ לֵרָצוֹת, חָסִיד. נֽוֹחַ לִכְעוֹס וְקָשֶׁה לֵרָצוֹת,
רָשָׁע
There are four types of
temperaments. One who is easily angered and easily appeased—his loss cancels out
his reward. One whom it is difficult to anger and difficult to appease—his reward
cancels out his loss. One whom it is difficult to anger and is easily calmed down
is a chasid. One who is easily angered and is difficult to calm down is
wicked.
This clearly acknowledges that even a chasid will
feel anger. But he is not alone. Earlier in the fifth perek, at Avot 5:2-3, we
learn that God too gets angry—and that He is able to restrain His anger for
generation after generation.
All of this points to a principle that emerges from Rambam’s
Moreh Nevuchim: we can’t stop having feelings, ideas and emotions entirely.
If we could, we would no longer be functionally human. However, what we can do
is control them once we have them.
The bee coming into my bathroom and buzzing around in
apparent rage and desperation is analogous to a powerful surge of anger that
comes into one’s head. At this point we may not be amenable to rational thought.
This is why Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar teaches (Avot 4:23)
אַל תְּרַצֶּה
אֶת חֲבֵרֶֽךָ בְּשַֽׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ
Do not appease your friend at the
height of his anger.
But once we have controlled our anger and composed ourselves
we can view things, including our own feelings and the circumstances that
generated them, in a more reasonable manner.
Once the bee calms down, its problem can be addressed with a happy
outcome for bee—and me.
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